by Miles, Ava
“You seem to be making a lot of promises lately,” she mused.
“I’m a new man.”
Her mouth tipped up. “That you are.”
He ran a hand over her curves. “I’m also a man who’s missed you terribly. Tory, I need to tell you…there…haven’t been any women since you.”
“Oh, Rye,” she whispered, tears filling her eyes again.
“I didn’t want anyone else.”
“Me, neither.”
When she slid a hand tentatively across his chest, he covered it with his. “I want to make love to you,” he whispered, and the desire he felt for her was as great as his love.
“I want that, too,” she said quietly. “It’s been so long.”
Didn’t he know it? “Great minds think alike,” he said and swung her up like she was a princess, which she was to him.
“And where might you be taking me?” she asked, her eyes locking with his.
“Didn’t I promise to take you to country heaven?”
Her hands caressed his cheek. “Indeed you did, love. Indeed you did.”
And as the African night reigned, they found their country heaven in each other’s arms.
Home.
There’s no other place I want to be.
Home.
Never imagined it was for me.
I have it again.
I am reborn.
Home.
There’s no other place I want to be.
Tory Simmons’ suggested lyrics to her fiancé, Rye Crenshaw, for his new song, “Home”
Epilogue
Tory’s first sight of Rye’s house in Dare River made her heart burst in her chest. As they passed through the wrought iron gates and drove down the road lined with towering trees, she squeezed his hand. It was her first visit to his home, just in time to spend Christmas with him and his family. Her engagement ring winked on her finger, and everything felt right in the world.
The red brick house with the black plantation shutters and massive white columns reminded her of the houses she’d seen in Meade, and she wondered if Rye knew he’d chosen a place that looked like home. The Christmas decorations, carefully chosen by Tammy, no doubt, made it even more inviting, from the gigantic toy soldiers flanking the door to Santa’s sleigh, eight reindeer and all, angled across the black–shingled roof. White lights blinked in the bushes, and a gigantic inflatable snowman swayed in the front yard.
But what enchanted her most was Dare River, sparkling across acres of manicured lawn dotted with garden beds. She couldn’t wait to walk along the bank of the river later, hand in hand with Rye.
“Welcome home, Tory,” Rye said, pulling the car to a stop, and leaning over to kiss her.
Home. This was going to be her home? She could scarcely believe it.
The massive double doors opened then and out streaked Rory and Annabelle, running straight to the SUV, followed by Tammy and Amelia Ann. Tory opened her door, and Annabelle plowed into her immediately, talking a mile a minute as she threw her arms around her.
Rory waited for his turn, and when his sister stepped aside, he smiled up at her. “Uncle Rye promised me he’d bring you home to us.”
When his little arms tunneled around her, she crouched down and hugged him with all her might. “Oh, I missed you,” she said. “Thank you, Rory. Thank you for keeping your promise to me.”
“You’re family now,” he announced, pulling back. “Isn’t she, Uncle Rye?”
Rye swung the boy up into his arms, making him laugh. “She sure is, son.”
Next, she hugged Amelia Ann, who commented on how long her hair had gotten and how happy they were to have her here. Then Tammy came forward and wrapped her into a warm embrace, and the change in her was remarkable.
“Now you have to meet the dogs,” Annabelle said. “There’s Bullet and Banjo, Uncle Rye’s dogs, and Barbie, my dog, and Bandit, Rory’s. Uncle Rye said you’re afraid of dogs. But you don’t need to be afraid of ours. They already love you because I’ve been telling them all about you forever.”
“That she has,” Rye announced, taking her hand. “We have them penned up, so you don’t need to worry about that quite yet.”
She’d told him she was ready to face her fear and put that part of the past away forever. “Okay.”
Annabelle continued to chatter, and Rory skipped alongside her and Rye as they walked up the steps to the veranda. Gone were the quiet, watchful children she’d met in Meade, and she couldn’t be happier to see the change.
A wreath decorated with gold bells and red flowers graced the door, and she gasped when he swung it open. Garland wrapped around the curving staircase, and a fourteen–foot tall Christmas tree decorated in white ribbons and gold tinsel stood sentry in the entryway. Everything was elegant, yet inviting.
“Tammy’s redecorated since she’s a sight better at it than the woman I hired when I moved in,” Rye said.
“Oh, it’s nothing,” his sister said with a shy smile, but Tory saw new pride in her eyes.
“Tammy, it’s incredible,” she said.
As they walked into the main room, she looked all around her, taking in the way the modern colors and gleaming antiques living in harmony with children’s clutter—toy trucks, a small red shoe, and a ballerina doll. Her heart softened. A family lived here, and now she was part of it.
Rye kept squeezing her hand as if to reassure himself she was there, and she squeezed right back. Their long–distance relationship had been hard on them both, but now she was home. And after Christmas, they were heading back to Lawrence to pack up her things and move her here for good.
When they stopped in the center of the family room, he raised her hand to his lips.
“So this is country heaven?” she asked, her eyes burning.
He only smiled.
As he leaned in to kiss her softly on the lips, Annabelle said, “But Mama, I thought heaven was in the sky.”
Rye’s gaze didn’t leave hers when he said, “That heaven is, Annabelle, but this one with Tory and y’all, well it’s right here in the country.”
And as he pulled Tory close and danced the two–step with her, the kids laughing and elbowing their way in, she knew he couldn’t be more right.
Dear Reader,
COUNTRY HEAVEN might be the first novel in the Dare River series, but I’d fallen in love with Rye long before I wrote this story. He captured my heart as Rhett’s best friend in THE GRAND OPENING and THE HOLIDAY SERENADE. This book stretched me with the writing of thirteen country music songs. Wow! As you know, since I’m a former chef, all of Tory’s cookbook entries and recipes are a total delight for me. And if you’re wondering who the tabloid leak was, stay tuned. That will be solved in THE CHOCOLATE GARDEN, Tammy Morrison and John Parker McGuiness’ story, due out Summer 2014.
If you enjoyed this book, I would really appreciate it if you would help others enjoy it too. I would love for you to let me know what you think by posting a review. You can write one here or on Goodreads. If you do post a review, kindly email me at [email protected] and let me know so I can personally thank you. This book is also lending–enabled, so feel free to share it with a friend or family member. Please also consider recommending it to your book clubs and discussions boards.
Next up is the newest book in The Dare Valley series. THE PARK OF SUNSET DREAMS will be released in Spring 2014. Rhett’s former poker babe in THE GRAND OPENING and THE HOLIDAY SERENADE and now dog walker, Jane Wilcox, falls for Grandpa Hale’s great–great nephew, lawyer Matthew Hale.
In case you missed my other books, keep reading. I included brief snippets of them all. Also please consider signing up for my newsletter and liking my Facebook page to keep up with all of my exciting news and enter my fun giveaways. Happy Reading!
Lots of light and blessings,
Ava
Coming Soon
The Dare Valley Series continues…
Book 6: THE PARK OF SUNSET DREAMS
Jane Wilcox and Matthew
Hale’s story
Available Spring 2014
Also Coming Soon
The Dare River Series continues…
Book 2: THE CHOCOLATE GARDEN
Tammy Morrison and John Parker McGuiness’ story
Available Summer 2014
Other Books By Ava
All books can be enjoyed as a stand–alone if this is your first time reading. Enjoy!
Dare Valley Series
NORA ROBERTS LAND
Meredith and Tanner’s story
A journalist returns to her hometown to debunk the Nora Roberts’ romance novels her ex–husband blamed for their divorce only to discover happy endings exist when she falls for a hero straight out of a bona fide romance novel.
Buy It Now
FRENCH ROAST
Jill and Brian’s story
A small–town girl mixes business and pleasure with her childhood BFF until his own Mrs. Robinson returns, making her question their friendship and their newfound love.
Buy It Now
THE GRAND OPENING
Peggy and Mac’s story
A cynical single–mom cop discovers she can’t bluff her way out of love when a mysterious poker–playing hotel magnate shows her it’s worth the gamble.
Buy It Now
THE HOLIDAY SERENADE
Abbie and Rhett’s story
A professional gambler prepares a holiday serenade to convince a single mom and Martha Stewart wannabe to give their love a second chance.
Buy It Now
THE TOWN SQUARE
Harriet and Arthur’s story
An ambitious journalist returns to Dare Valley to start a newspaper empire, but is soon caught up with his mysterious secretary, not realizing she’s come to his small town for revenge.
Buy It Now
About the Author
USA Today Bestselling Author Ava Miles burst onto the contemporary romance scene after receiving Nora Roberts’ blessing for her use of Ms. Roberts’ name in her debut novel, NORA ROBERTS LAND, which kicked off The Dare Valley Series and brought praise from reviewers and readers alike. Much to Ava's delight, USA Today Contributor Becky Lower selected it as one of the Best Books of the Year. Ava continued The Dare Valley Series in FRENCH ROAST, which Tome Tender says “raised the entertainment bar again” and then THE GRAND OPENING, which reviewer Mary J. Gramlich says “is a continuation of love, family, and relationships.” The next books in the series, THE HOLIDAY SERENADE, was met with high praise and her ode to the early 1960s, THE TOWN SQUARE, what she calls Mad Men in a small town with a happy ending, melted reader’s hearts.
Ava based her original series on a family newspaper, modeled after her own. Her great–great grandfather won it in a poker game in 1892, so Ava is no stranger to adventurous men and models her heroes after men like that—or like Tim McGraw, her favorite country music singer. Now Ava shares the Dare River series, set in the deep South, telling the story of a country singer and a beautiful cook. A former chef herself, Ava used her culinary background to infuse the story with family and personal recipes, but she also used her love for music to write country music songs to set the stage in the novel, creating a unique book experience. Ava—a writer since childhood—now lives in her own porch–swinging–friendly community with an old–fashioned Main Street lined with small businesses.
If you’d like to connect with Ava or hear more about her upcoming books, check out the links below:
Ava’s Website
Ava’s Facebook
Ava’s Twitter
Ava’s Pinterest
Copyright February, 2014, Ava Miles. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means—graphic, electronic or mechanical—without permission in writing from the author, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictionally.
ISBN–13: 978–1–940565–05–7
Genres: contemporary romance, Southern romance, country music, cowboy, millionaire, Nashville, romantic comedy, chick lit, food, cook, bake
www.avamiles.com
Ava Miles
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Epilogue
Coming Soon
About the Author
